Ato device, rail vehicle and method for the automated driving of a rail vehicle

ABSTRACT

A method is provided for the automated driving of a rail vehicle on tracks equipped with different track-side vehicle protection devices. Information items necessary for the automated driving are transferred at least partially from different on-board or vehicle-side vehicle protection devices to an ATO device, and the rail vehicle is controlled by the ATO device according to the transferred information items. An ATO device, a rail vehicle and a railway-technical installation are also provided.

Modern rail traffic is continually being improved. Some of the rail transport companies are engaged in intense competition and endeavor to offer rail services ever more economically. For this, ever increasing reliance is placed on intensive automation of the rail traffic. For many years, this has been brought about through automation of the processes in the rail traffic control centers, but also increasingly by automating the vehicles themselves in their operation. For this, ATO (Automated Train Operation) devices which take over the functions of the vehicle previously carried out by a traction vehicle driver are deployed. This can be, for example, the operation of the drive and the brakes, processing current schedule information from the control center and adaptation of the vehicle's own journey or a response to the control center regarding the current position of the vehicle.

Automation solutions for tracks already in use are often costly and complex to construct.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to propose an ATO device, a rail vehicle and a method of the type mentioned in the introduction which enable an economical automation of the rail traffic.

The object is achieved by means of an ATO device for the automated driving of a rail vehicle on tracks which are equipped with different track-side vehicle protection devices, wherein the ATO device has at least two ATP interfaces which are configured for connecting the ATO device to different vehicle-side vehicle protection devices and for transferring information items necessary for the automated driving from the respective vehicle-side vehicle protection device to the ATO device.

The object is further achieved by means of a rail vehicle with at least one inventive ATO device and at least two different vehicle-side vehicle protection devices connected to the ATO device via the ATP interfaces, said vehicle protection devices each being configured to transfer information items necessary for the driving to the ATO device.

Lastly, the object is also achieved by means of a method for the automated driving of a rail vehicle on tracks which are equipped with different track-side vehicle protection devices, wherein information items necessary for the automated driving are transferred at least partially by different vehicle-side vehicle protection devices to an ATO device and wherein the rail vehicle is controlled by the ATO device dependent upon the transferred information items.

The inventive solution has the advantage that a plurality of vehicle-side vehicle protection devices can be connected to the ATO device by means of the at least two ATP (Automatic Train Protection) interfaces. By this means, on tracks with different track-side vehicle protection devices, the rail vehicle can be automatically driven with the same ATO device. Already existing vehicle-side vehicle protection devices can be further used and a required new protection technology authorization is easier to obtain. Furthermore, in the case of a low automation level, a traction vehicle driver of the rail vehicle who may be present must merely operate an ATO device, which simplifies the operation. The inventive ATO device can thus be operated in at least 2 modes each of which uses one of the ATP interfaces.

The inventive solution can be further developed through advantageous embodiments, which are described below.

The ATO device can have at least one control interface which is configured for connecting the ATO device to a vehicle control device of the rail vehicle and can be configured for controlling the rail vehicle via the control interface. This has the advantage that the ATO device can influence all the functions of the rail vehicle via the control interface and can allow the rail vehicle to drive autonomously in a simple manner. Since, according to the invention, only one ATO device is necessary for the rail vehicle, only one control interface to the vehicle is also needed. By this means, development costs and installation space are saved.

In order to obtain further information items necessary for automated driving that have not been transferred by one of the vehicle-side vehicle protection devices, the ATO device can comprise at least one control center interface which is configured to connect the ATO device to an operational control center of the rail vehicle and can be configured so that information items needed for automated driving and not transferred via the ATP interfaces are transferred by means of the control center interface. In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the control center interface can be configured unprotected from the signaling standpoint, for example at the safety level of SIL 0 or SIL 1, so that the control center interface can be developed and configured to be less complex and more economical. Therefore, by means of the control center interface, all the information items that have not come via the ATP interfaces can be read into the ATO device. These information items naturally do not have to come exclusively from the operational control center.

In an advantageous embodiment of the inventive rail vehicle, one of the vehicle protection devices can be configured as an ETCS vehicle protection device. ETCS (European Train Control System) has been defined as a unified train protection system for international European rail traffic. At least the major international tracks (or magistral routes) are or will be equipped with an ETCS vehicle protection device on the track-side. Thus, the inventive rail vehicle is usable in this advantageous embodiment on many tracks.

Furthermore, one of the vehicle protection devices can be configured as an LZB or PZB vehicle protection device. LZB (Linienförmige Zugbeeinflussung or “linear train influencing”) and PZB (Punktörmige Zugbeeinflussung or “punctiform train influencing”) vehicle protection devices have been in use on existing tracks for many years. Thus, the inventive rail vehicle which has an LZB or PZB vehicle protection device can be used on particularly many existing tracks which have not yet been equipped with a modern vehicle protection device such as, for example, ETCS. The inventive rail vehicle can automatically recognize with which vehicle protection device a track is equipped.

In order also to enable a communication between the vehicle-side vehicle protection devices, the at least two vehicle-side vehicle protection devices connected to the ATO device via the ATP interfaces can be connected to one another. Thus, for example, one of the vehicle protection devices can be configured as leading, for example, the ETCS vehicle protection device, and can pass control to the at least one further vehicle protection device, for example, the LZB or PZB vehicle protection device if a corresponding track-side vehicle protection device is recognized. For example, the ETCS vehicle protection device can be operated on LZB or PZB tracks in an STM (State Transmission Mode) mode in which it passes control to the LZB or PZB vehicle protection device.

The invention further relates to a railway-technical installation with tracks that have different track-side vehicle protection devices and have at least one inventive rail vehicle which is configured according to one of the above-described embodiments.

In an advantageous embodiment of the inventive method, further information items needed for the automated driving that were not transferred by one of the vehicle protection devices, can be transferred from an operational control center to the ATO device. This has the advantage, as described above, that all the information items necessary for the automated driving can be transferred to the ATO device. In this regard, safety-related information items are transferred from the vehicle-side vehicle protection devices and non-safety-critical information items are transferred from the operational control center to the ATO device.

The invention will now be described making reference to the exemplary embodiments in the accompanying drawings,

in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of an exemplary embodiment of the inventive railway-technical installation;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of an exemplary embodiment of an inventive rail vehicle of the installation of FIG. 1.

The invention will now be described making reference to the exemplary embodiments in FIGS. 1 and 2.

An exemplary embodiment in an inventive railway-technical installation 1 as shown in FIG. 1 has at least one rail vehicle 2, an operational control center 3 and a plurality of tracks 4 a, 4 b. The tracks 4 a, 4 b each comprise different track-side vehicle protection devices 5 a, 5 b.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the inventive rail vehicle 2 comprises an ATO device 6, a first vehicle protection device 7, a second vehicle protection device 8, a vehicle control device 9, an obstacle recognition device 10, a display device 11, further inputs and outputs 12 and further vehicle elements 13.

The ATO device is configured for an automated driving of the rail vehicle 2 and has a first ATP interface 14, a second ATP interface 15, a control interface 16 and a master interface 17. The ATO device 6 is connected via the first ATP interface 14 to the first vehicle protection device 7 and via the second ATP interface 15 to the second vehicle protection device 8. The control interface 16 connects the ATO device 6 to the vehicle control device 9 and also to the purely optional obstacle recognition device 10. The master interface 17 connects the ATO device 6 to the operational control center 3, wherein in the embodiment of the drawings, this connection is configured as a radio connection 18, for example by means of GSM or GSM-R.

The first vehicle-side vehicle protection device 7 is configured in the exemplary embodiment of the figures as a per se known LZB vehicle protection device and has a communication means 19. The communication means 19 is provided for communication with the corresponding track-side vehicle protection device 5 a which is also configured in accordance with the LZB technology. Alternatively, the first vehicle protection device 7 can also be configured as a PZB-vehicle protection device.

The second vehicle protection device 8 is configured in the exemplary embodiment of the figures as an ETCS vehicle protection device and comprises a communication means 20 which is configured for communication with the corresponding track-side ETCS vehicle protection device 5 b.

The vehicle control device 9 is connected to the further vehicle elements 13 such as drive, brakes, etc. The vehicle control device 9 issues control commands to the other vehicle elements 13 in order to control the rail vehicle 2 and to drive it along the track 4 a, 4 b. For example, an automated drive and braking control system (AFB) is also integrated into the vehicle control device 9.

The obstacle recognition device 10 is connected to both the ATO device 6 and also the vehicle control device 9. The obstacle recognition device 10 is configured for recognizing obstacles in front of the rail vehicle 2 in the region of the track 4 a, 4 b and, when an obstacle is recognized, outputs corresponding control signals to the ATO device 6 and the vehicle control device 9.

The display device 11 is, for example, a monitor in a cab of the rail vehicle 2 which displays information items to a traction vehicle driver who may still be present.

The further inputs and outputs 12 are also connected to the ATO device 6 and provide, for example, secure or non-secure information items to the ATO device 6, for example, a GPS location signal, switching positions of switches or buttons on an operating console or signals from a position encoder.

The communication between the ATO device 6 and the operational control center 3 takes place in the exemplary embodiment shown via a communication device 21 arranged at the track-side which is configured, for example, in the form of radio masts along the track 4 a, 4 b. A combination with the communication means 19 and/or 20 is also possible.

The inventive ATO device 6 has the two ATP interfaces 14, 15 and is consequently connected from the signaling standpoint to the different vehicle-side vehicle protection devices 7, 8. By this means, the inventive rail vehicle 2 can be driven automatically, controlled by the ATO device 6 on the tracks 4 a, 4 b which are equipped with different track-side vehicle protection devices 5 a, 5 b. In the embodiment of the drawings, the ATO device 6 herein assumes the functions:

driving (drive control), braking (brake control), stopping with high precision, monitoring of a stopping tolerance, release of the doors on a designated side, door closing commands, display of a stopping duration, display of a desired departure time, display of a desired arrival time, energy-optimized driving and braking, re-calculation of the energy-optimized driving on a change of the route during travel, monitoring of a maximum impulse of the so-called jerk, on a change of load, punctual arrival in accordance with off-line timetables, receiving and taking account of on-line timetable corrections, passenger information output, provision of a route map, update of a route map with updated data, communication with the operational control center 3, transport of third party data from and to communication devices along the track, off-line operation with pre-defined data and off-line operation with entirely or partially updated data which is exchanged via suitable communication routes. Naturally, the ATO device 6 can also perform more or fewer functions.

For the named functions and generally for the automated driving of a rail vehicle, a plurality of information items, for example, reference variables, are necessary on the part of the ATO device 6. These information items are transferred to the ATO device 6 by the vehicle-side vehicle protection devices 7, 8 and by the operational control center 3. Depending on the technical safety equipment of the track 4 a, 4 b either the first vehicle protection device 7 or the second vehicle protection device 8 receives different information items from the track-side vehicle protection devices 5 a, 5 b. The ATO device 6 receives all the further information items required for the automated driving from the operational control center 3 or via the obstacle recognition device 10 or, for example, another sensor system.

The vehicle-side vehicle protection devices 7, 8 are configured in accordance with a high safety standard, for example, SIL3 or SILO, so that the information communication therethrough can be regarded as particularly reliable. For example, via the ATP interfaces 14, 15, a permissible maximum speed and braking signals are transferred to the ATO device 6. The number or type of information items received by the ATO device 6 from the vehicle-side vehicle protection devices 7, 8 is possibly different. The first vehicle protection device configured as an LZB vehicle protection device 7 thus transfers fewer information items to the ATO device 6 than the second vehicle protection device 8 configured as a more modern ETCS vehicle protection device 8. The inventive rail vehicle 2 has the advantage in the exemplary embodiment shown in the drawings that it can travel automatically both on tracks 4 a equipped with LZB and also tracks 4 b equipped with ETCS. LZB-equipped tracks 4 a are very widespread, for example, in Germany and in some other central European countries. ETCS-equipped tracks 4 b are increasingly being built and represent the standard, in particular, in the cross-national traffic.

With the help of the invention, existing rail vehicles which already have a first vehicle protection device 7 can also easily be retrofitted with an inventive ATO device 6. The second vehicle protection device 8 is enhanced so that the retrofitted inventive rail vehicle 2 can automatically travel on the different tracks 4 a, 4 b. 

1-10. (canceled)
 11. An ATO device for the automated driving of a rail vehicle on tracks equipped with different track-side vehicle protection devices, the ATO device comprising: at least two ATP interfaces configured for connecting the ATO device to different vehicle-side vehicle protection devices and for transferring information items necessary for the automated driving from the respective vehicle-side vehicle protection devices to the ATO device.
 12. The ATO device according to claim 11, which further comprises at least one control interface configured for connecting the ATO device to a vehicle control device of the rail vehicle and configured for controlling the rail vehicle through said at least one control interface.
 13. The ATO device according to claim 11, which further comprises at least one master interface configured for connecting the ATO device to an operational control center and configured for transferring information items necessary for the automated driving and not transferred through said at least two ATP interfaces by using said at least one master interface.
 14. A rail vehicle, comprising: at least one ATO device according to claim 11; and at least two different vehicle-side vehicle protection devices connected through said at least two ATP interfaces to said at least one ATO device; said at least two vehicle-side vehicle protection devices each being configured to transfer information items necessary for the automated driving to said at least one ATO device.
 15. The rail vehicle according to claim 14, wherein one of said at least two vehicle protection devices is configured as an ETCS-vehicle protection device.
 16. The rail vehicle according to claim 14, wherein one of said at least two vehicle protection devices is configured as an LZB or PZB vehicle protection device.
 17. The rail vehicle according to claim 14, wherein said at least two vehicle protection devices, connected through said at least two ATP interfaces to said at least one ATO device, are connected to one another.
 18. A railway-technical installation, comprising: tracks having different track-side vehicle protection devices; and at least one rail vehicle each including: at least one ATO device according to claim 11; and at least two different vehicle-side vehicle protection devices connected through said at least two ATP interfaces to said at least one ATO device; said at least two vehicle-side vehicle protection devices each being configured to transfer information items necessary for the automated driving to said at least one ATO device.
 19. A method for the automated driving of a rail vehicle on tracks equipped with different track-side vehicle protection devices, the method comprising the following steps: transferring information items necessary for the automated driving at least partially from different vehicle-side vehicle protection devices to an ATO device; and using the ATO device to control the rail vehicle in dependence on the transferred information items.
 20. The method according to claim 19, which further comprises transferring further information items necessary for the automated driving, that were not transferred by one of the vehicle protection devices, from an operational control center to the ATO device. 